A Mansfield community-based project set up last year to help alleviate child poverty during the school summer holidays is appealing for help with a new project this Christmas.

School’s Out For Summer is asking local businesses for donations to enable it to provide help to families struggling over the festive period without the support of free school meals.

Schools Out For Christmas aims to supply around 600 shopping vouchers (£10 per child) and emergency food parcels across Mansfield schools.

It said: “We are doing a mass call out to local businesses in the Mansfield area, asking for donations to enable us to continue supporting our community in these unprecedented times.

“All donations, of course, will be greatly appreciated.

“Businesses that have donated will be listed on our Facebook page once the project comes to a close and the Christmas holidays are here to thank you all for your kindness and to support one another as best we can over the coming months.”

Anyone wanting to donate and/or support the project should email [email protected] or call School’s Out champion Coun Amanda Fisher.

Donations can also be made directly via bank transfer to the project’s Lloyds Bank account ‘School’s Out For Summer’, account number 72502968, sort code 309897.